


Cingulomania

by Abstract_Reality



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cuddling, F/M, Fluff, Grieving Nathan, Jefferson Implied Death/Major Injury, Main Character Death, Violent Nathan, eventual feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-25
Updated: 2015-11-25
Packaged: 2018-05-03 09:43:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5285936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abstract_Reality/pseuds/Abstract_Reality
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cingulomania- A strong desire to hold someone in your arms.<br/>A small look into Nathan's love for Max, and how he loves to hold her in his arms. All he wants is to be able to cuddle with her forever. He never wants to let her go. He'll do anything for her, because they love each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cingulomania

**Author's Note:**

> This is kind of a "Max and Rachel" switch places kind of thing. Only, I didn't really follow that idea too closely. So, the end doesn't really leave room for a sequel of "Rachel Amber the time traveler."  
> I'm not very good at the whole violence thing. But I did my best. I hope you enjoy, let me know your thoughts in the comments.

**Cingulomania**

_n. A strong desire to hold someone in your arms_

_________

Max’s music flows throughout the room. It’s quiet and soothing, kind of like her voice. It makes him want to pull her closer. Let her voice fill his ears and tell him everything. His hand dances down her body, stopping to occasionally caress her warm, soft skin. She smells like coffee and lavender. It’s intoxicating. He wraps his arms around her, rubbing small circles in her back. He just can’t get enough of her, he’d hold her forever if he could.

Small openings in her curtains allow light into the room that gives everything a soft glow. At least, everything besides her. She is already radiant. He brushes her hair behind her ear and presses their foreheads together. She laughs, making him smile. She thinks he’s odd for worshipping her like this. Thinks that she isn’t anything special to look at. God, if only she knew. Knew how wrong she is to think she isn’t the most beautiful woman in the world. She’s everything beautiful in this world and so, so much more. The oceans can never compare to the color of her eyes. Her freckles are actual kisses from angels.

“Nathan. Class is going to start soon.” She mumbles. He shakes his head, kissing her nose.

“Shh. Let’s just skip class. Go to the beach or something.” The time they spend together should never be allowed to end. Come to think of it, there should be no such thing as time when they are together. They should just be allowed to stay together for as long as they please. He trails his hand underneath her shirt, setting it gently above her ribs. She hums and distances herself from him a little.

“As nice as that sounds, I have classes to go to. And so do you.” He groans, taking his arms away. She’s right, and he knows she’s right. She climbs out of bed, leaving him alone under the covers.

“I have your clothes. Here.” Max goes over to her closet, tossing his shirt and pants at him. He groans. She grabs a simple shirt and some jeans for herself. He gets out of bed and the two of them get dressed in silence.

“Last chance Max. You, me, some soft white sand.” He laughs, hugging her from behind. She leans against him for a moment, before turning around and giving him a soft kiss. He tries to make it last longer, but she pulls away from him to slip on her socks and shoes.

“I want to. I really do. But, Jefferson wants me to turn in my photo for a project. Then we were going to that Vortex club party tonight. Remember?” He grumbles and his stomach twists at the idea of Max coming face to face with Jefferson. His dirty fingers coming in contact with Max’s soft, nimble hands. God.

He shrugs. “Yeah. I guess. It’s not like we can miss a party we helped plan.”

He puts his arms around her with a small sigh. Now he’s going to be thinking about that sick fuck Jefferson staring at Max during class. Max begins to pull away from him, but he pulls her back, and they land on the bed. She giggles. “Nathan! It’s 8:30!”

“We have fifteen minutes. Chill the fuck out already.” He mumbles, pressing their lips together. He puts a hand in her hair and moves his lips against hers. She hums in the back of her throat, but reciprocates.

After a few minutes of kissing, however, she pulls away. They sit up on her bed. Her cheeks are flushed, and she attempts to fix her hair. He smirks and places a hand on her cheek, making her face him. She pouts. “You know how I am about getting to class on time.”

He laughs and gives her one last kiss. “I know.”

She gives him a small smile and takes his hands, pulling him up and towards the door.

_________

The room smells like the iron supplements that he took when he was younger, only much stronger. He can practically taste the iron on his tongue. The light in the room is dim, and some of the lights Jefferson used for his shots lie broken on the floor. Some of the glass pieces are lying in blood, almost like someone cut themselves on it. The chair is overturned and the back of the white couch is splattered with red. His stomach turns at the sight of it all. This is something out of his nightmares.

Even though his brain is telling him to turn around and run, he steps out of the doorframe to see the rest of the room. Jefferson is nowhere in sight, and neither is whoever he dragged here on his own. He tries to keep himself calm, but his hands are shaking. All he can see from his next spot just outside the doorway is small feet. He takes a deep breath and walks forward so he can see more.

_Oh god. It’s **Max.**_

“No..” She’s lying on the floor, covered in blood. She isn’t moving. “Max! Oh my god! What the fuck? Oh my fucking god. Max!”

He rushes forward and stands above her. He begins to panic, his whole body shaking. His stomach lurches, and he turns around to let out the contents of his stomach. He dry heaves for a good minute, and tears start rolling down his cheeks. This can’t be happening. It has to be a nightmare. He turns back around and leans down next to her. He puts his hands on her arm lightly. She’s cold, so cold. It starts getting hard to breathe.

“Fuck. Fuck! _Max._ ” He cries, scooping her up into his arms. His chest seems to be collapsing. His heart starts to slow down, and he swears it’s going to give out any second. He can’t stop his hands from shaking. He gently places a hand on the back of Max’s head, immediately covering in thick, wet blood. He wraps his free arm around her waist and pulls her closer to his chest.

He just saw her this morning. She was fine. Now her blood is staining his jacket.

“Oh god Max. Don’t do this. Don’t leave me. Not like this.” He whispers. The metallic smell of her blood invades his senses, masking her natural lavender smell. Her skin is pale. She isn’t moving. She isn’t breathing. This is his worst nightmare.

He presses their foreheads together, staring at her closed eyelids. His tears drop down onto her face, streaming off her cheeks and onto his pants. He lets out a shaky breath and brings his lips to her cheek, leaving a soft kiss there. Hoping that by some miracle, Max will open her eyes and kiss him back. Hoping that all of this really is just a nightmare. Hoping that he’ll be able to wake up and hold her, caress her.

He can hear someone come through the doorway. Their footsteps come to the edge of the couch and then stop. He looks up to see Jefferson, staring down at him. The tripod for his camera is in his hand, and it’s head is covered in blood. “I didn’t think you two were close.”

Nathan looks down at Max and his grip on her. They were more than close. They loved each other. He...he was going to marry her. They were going to have a life together. He wanted to start a family with her. She’s his everything. Now she’s **_gone._**

****

_Just like that._

“Regardless of whatever she was to you, we need to get rid of her. Somewhere secluded, in the forest or something. We can’t risk anything.” He whips his head up to look at Jefferson. He just wants to throw her away. Like she’s fucking **garbage.**

He needs to stay calm. If he freaks out on Jefferson, then he won’t get out alive either. Reluctantly, he lies Max back down on the floor gently and stands up. He’s still trying to figure out what to do. Jefferson sets the tripod down on the couch and takes gloves out of his pockets. He hands a pair to Nathan, and puts his own on. He gestures for Nathan to grab the tripod and bends down to look at Max.

He doesn’t deserve to look at her. She’s too beautiful for him to ever lay his filthy eyes on. She’s the most beautiful woman Nathan has ever met. And he just took her away. Without a second thought. Without a single regret. Nathan’s grip on the tripod tightens, and he grits his teeth.

“Don’t worry Nathan. I’m sure you’ll get a less defiant plaything within the next few days.” Jefferson comments casually. He lifts her arm and allows it to drop back to the floor.

“Defiant?” He can barely hold himself back.

“Yes. She didn’t do a single thing she was supposed to, and even tried to get away. I took care of it, like I always do. But she was far from anything she was supposed to be. She was a garbage subject, really.” That’s when Nathan just loses it. He swings the tripod, hitting Jefferson in the side of his face and knocking him to the floor. His glasses go flying across the room.

Jefferson scrambles back instinctively, but Nathan is on him within seconds. He grabs Jefferson by the collar and begins to hit him. His punches get stronger and stronger, and his knuckles get bloodier and bloodier. He’s not sure whose blood it is, but at this point he doesn’t really care. When Jefferson stops struggling, Nathan stands. His rage still hasn’t left him, and he starts to kick the older man in the ribs. “I fucking loved her! She was my everything! She deserved everything! And you took it away from her!”

Jefferson hasn’t been moving for a good few minutes when Nathan finally stops. Nathan is breathing heavy. He feels weak. He drops to the floor and stares at Jefferson. Then he turns and crawls toward Max. He lies down next to her and wraps his arms around her. He feels so tired. So empty. She feels so cold. So lifeless. A few tears roll down his cheeks again and he tightens his grip on her body. They have all the time in the world now. But what is it worth? He presses their foreheads together and places a chaste kiss on her lips.

“I’m so sorry Max. If only I could tell you how sorry I am.” He whispers, letting his eyes close. “I just want to hold you. One last time…”


End file.
